Liquid crystal display devices have been used for watches and electronic calculators, various home electric appliances, measuring apparatuses, automotive panels, word processors, electronic notebooks, printers, computers, televisions, etc. Typical examples of a liquid crystal display mode include a TN (twisted nematic) mode, a STN (super twisted nematic) mode, a DS (dynamic light scattering) mode, a GH (guest-host) mode, an IPS (in-plane switching) mode, an OCB (optical compensated bend) mode, an ECB (electrically controlled birefringence) mode, a VA (vertical alignment) mode, a CSH (color super homeotropic) mode, and a FLC (ferromagnetic liquid crystal) mode, and the like. Also, driving methods include static driving, multiplex driving, a simple matrix method, and an active matrix (AM) method of driving by TFT (thin-film transistor), TFD (thin-film diode), or the like.
Among these display modes, the IPS mode, the ECB mode, the VA mode, or the CSH mode has the characteristic of using a liquid crystal material exhibiting a negative value of Δ∈. In particular, the VA display mode driven by AM driving is used for display devices, for example, a television and the like, which require a high speed and a wide viewing angle.
Nematic liquid crystal compositions used for the VA display mode and the like are required to have low-voltage driving, fast response, and a wide operating temperature range. That is, the liquid crystal compositions are required to have a large absolute value of negative Δ∈, low viscosity, and a high nematic-isotropic liquid phase transition temperature (Tni). Also, in view of setting of Δn×d which is the product of refractive index anisotropy (Δn) and a cell gap (d), it is necessary to adjust Δn of a liquid crystal composition within a proper range according to the cell gap. In addition, when a liquid crystal display device is applied to a television or the like, fast response is regarded as important, and thus a liquid crystal material having low viscosity (η) is required.
The characteristics of liquid crystal compositions have been improved by studying various compounds having negative Δ∈ and a large absolute value thereof.
A liquid crystal composition containing liquid crystal compounds (A) and (B) below (refer to Patent Literature 1) having a 2,3-difluorophenylene skeleton is disclosed as a liquid crystal material having negative Δ∈.

The liquid crystal composition contains liquid crystal compounds (C) and (D) as compounds having Δ∈ of substantially zero, but with the liquid crystal composition, satisfactorily low viscosity is not realized for a liquid crystal composition for a liquid crystal television and the like, which require fast response.

On the other hand, Patent Literature 2 and Patent Literature 3 already disclose liquid crystal compositions each containing a compound having a fluorine-substituted terphenyl structure, but faster response performance than the current response is required for complying with speedy images and 3D images. In addition, an increase in Δn is advanced in liquid crystal compositions used for narrow-cell applicable products for improvement in response. However, the problem of solubility at a low temperature also occurs, and there is demand for a liquid crystal composition satisfying both low viscosity for fast response and solubility with which a liquid crystal phase is stably maintained even at a low temperature.